Kids

LIST: Cartoon Characters Kids Still Love in 2024

by Kevyn Gohu
October 31, 2024

With kids watching a lot of cartoons, here are some of the cartoon characters or icons they’ve been falling in love with lately

As parents, there are just some cartoon characters and icons that our kids love and we can’t understand why! Is it the color? The sound they make? While aesthetics are one factor, the deciding factor is if they see themselves in that character. Do they face the same difficulties? Are they the same age? It’s a lot! Here are some of the top cartoon characters and icons that kids love in 2024.

1. Bluey

Besides the story and playful humor appealing to both parents and kids, it’s probably Bluey herself who is a toddler and is the exact age of when our kids probably start watching TV. She loves to play and is quite imaginative; something that our toddlers can be too! Bluey also has a sister, Bingo, and even plays with her cousin like Socks.

2. Peppa Pig

While most parents may not like the attitude that Peppa Pig has, kids love her for her wit. Because of her energetic and loud personality, Peppa Pig becomes relatable to the kids who are pushing boundaries. Now for parents, that can be a tad annoying. But if we look more into the episode, we see that she grows and learns that she can’t always get away for being cheeky.

3. Gudetama

Also known as the “Depressed Egg,” Gudetama became popular in 2013 and is quite different from the first two. When Sanrio‘s Hello Kitty began to underperform, Gudetama was like a breath of fresh air. As a character that seems sleepy or tired all the time, tweens and teens relate heavily to its “lazy-looking” personality.

4. Mofusand

See the cat dressed up in different suits? That’s Moufsand – a popular Japanese cartoon or graphic character! Its name, Mofusand, pays tribute to its fluffiness with mofu–mofu meaning “fluffy” in Japanese. But what makes it lovable is that the cat is shown doing all sorts of things, from wearing costumes to eating certain food.

5. Elsa & Anna

The princesses from Frozen have always been a big hit! Besides the songs from the two movies, the movie does a good job of showing them growing up. Because they saw them behave like kids before becoming the princesses that everyone recognizes, our kids see themselves more in Elsa and Anna than any other Disney princess.

6. Spongebob Squarepants

Despite being an old cartoon character, kids still enjoy the loud, laughing, and playful sea sponge that is Spongebob. Besides making jokes, he also has a best friend named Patrick and most of the episodes deal with them doing things together as friends. Spongebob is also a breath of fresh air compared to the usual educational shows as this is the cartoon that kids watch to “turn off their brains.”

7. Finn and Jake

Despite the cartoon being banned in non-American countries, who could enjoy Adventure Time without Finn and Jake? The two cartoon characters are a pair in the show, journeying through the rest of the world to understand its metahuman inhabitants. Finn, as the last human being, learns about the various kingdoms that have grown in the Land of Ooo and often inspires with his sensible bravery and willingness to help.

Jake, being Finn’s partner, is also a favorite as someone who always pushes Finn in the right direction.

8. Minions

Despite the annoying sounds they make, kids still love Minions simply because of how innocent they are. Their behaviors are akin to children and we probably think they’re like those little yellow things too when they’re high on sugar. Because the minions also come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, they end up finding one that they can relate to.

9. Lightning McQueen

More for the boys but the aesthetic of Lightning McQueen is every boy’s dream car: a fast red racecar that leaves everyone in the dust. The color in itself gets kids excited but for the older kids, they may pick up a certain level of confidence from the Disney character. Besides, he also has a goofy best friend who they probably appreciate too – the rusty tow truck Mater!

10. Various characters in My Hero Academia

Although more an anime, kids love My Hero Academia as it showcases heroes and supervillains. Actually, the plotline sounds pretty familiar like Walt Disney’s 2005 movie Sky High. Unlike the Disney film however, the My Hero Academia series is more expansive and talks about some complex issues such as inheriting the mantle and even rivalries among heroes.

What attracts kids to these cartoon characters or icons?

When kids find a character they like, they’re going through a process known as wishful identification. They look for characters who have traits that they aspire for and identify with that character by copying certain behaviors. It’s probably why they act in some ways that none of their friends do or in ways that we’ve never taught them. While it’s not always a bad thing, it’s our job as parents to make sure they understand the context of why that character behaves that way.